


I Will Follow You Into The Dark

by icyowl97



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Asexual Carlos, Hospital, M/M, comatose character, scarred Cecil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-07
Updated: 2014-08-07
Packaged: 2018-02-12 06:15:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2098692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icyowl97/pseuds/icyowl97
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos likes to imagines that Cecil's scars are a road map that show how they got to where they are, and how Cecil became such a great fit for him. </p>
<p>He had not imagined that that road map would lead them to where they are now.</p>
<p>(This isn't about Carlos being in the desert. This is about Cecil being in the hospital.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Will Follow You Into The Dark

Cecil looked very peaceful while he slept. In truth, it was just because when he was asleep he was always prepared to run for his life, or fight to the death. Scientifically speaking, it wasn't even that he was relaxed, it was just that because he was asleep he wasn't in the coils of mortal terror.

But regardless of all the reasons, Carlos found that seeing Cecil asleep was like seeing a different side of him, and he always felt like being able to wake up next to Cecil was the greatest compliment he could ever get.

While it was great to be called perfect, and kind, and thoughtful, that had nothing on being able to kiss Cecil to wake him up with a whispered, "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty." And while it was great to hear Cecil say his hair was perfect, or his jaw was strong, none of that could compare to seeing Cecil's eyes flicker open, and that small, relaxed smile that he got before remembering his mortal terror and was just pleased to see Carlos.

So yes, Carlos liked to watch Cecil fall asleep, and to see him in the morning, but the thing he loved the most was waking Cecil up. 

"Hey, Cecil." Carlos said, sitting in the chair next to him. "Do you remember our third date? That was the one where we both went over to my apartment, and we watched Predator? And then you fell asleep halfway through the film because you found it so boring? And oh, Cecil, you accidentally dropped your soda in my lap. The ice, the drink, the venomous spiders, all of it."

Carlos reached out and took Cecil's hand. "And then I jumped, and you woke up, and you were just flustered. I couldn't get you to stop apologizing. You even talked about it on air, and you just sounded so guilty...." 

Carlos sighed and pressed his forehead against Cecil's limp hand. "I wish you'd do that now. Wake up, I mean, in that fluster way you have sometimes. Start apologizing for this, even though it isn't your fault. I just.... I just wish you'd wake up, Cecil. Just open your eyes, and smile. Could you do that for me?"

There wasn't answer, of course, and Carlos wasn't expecting one. He released Cecil's hand and leaned back in his chair, burying his face in his hands. He'd been doing that a lot, when he didn't want to see the tubes sticking out of Cecil's arms, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from them, couldn't stop himself from watching the liquid flow through them into Cecil's arm.

It had been three days now, and Carlos had yet to leave Cecil's side for more than 30 minutes. It had been three day since Cecil collapsed. Three days since Carlos had rushed him to the Night Vale Aquarium and Hospital. Three days since the doctor had told him that Cecil had had a stroke, and it had been three days since Cecil had been awake. Three days since Cecil had fallen into a coma and Carlos' life had fallen to pieces.

"I just wish that you would open your eyes." Carlos said, swiping at his eyes to brush away the tears that hadn't even begun to fall yet. "I... I miss you Cecil. The doctor said I should talk to you, but I don't know what to say. I study science, Cecil, I don't do... this. I just listen. I like listening to you. Like, um, remember that game we used to play? Where I'd pick out a scar that you had, and if you let me, I'd try to guess where the scar came from."

He leaned forward and traced the long scar across the back of Cecil's hand. "Like, this one. I remember that I guessed that you got it from a dog or something and you said that you got it from a locker." Carlos laughed. "And that some kid had left in the teeth and the venom sack." 

Carlos smiled, his eyes glistening with tears. "I don't think I ever got a single one right out of the 50 I'd guessed one, and this makes me realize that there is so much more I want to know about you. I want to know the stories for all your scars. I want to know your least favorite song, and your 13th favorite quote from your third favorite book. And I want to know these things for science, and reason, but also, for personal reasons."

Carlos bit his lip and squeezed Cecil's hand gently. There was no response. "Like, before I moved to Night Vale, I didn't think I'd ever find anyone I could actually fall in love with. I had figured that nobody would ever want to fall in love with me, because I'm asexual. And that was always a huge turn off to, like, everyone, but I was like: 'Whatever.' And then I met you, and.... It just worked. And I know you can't hear any of this, but I need to say it, and plus, there's been some research that shows that talking to coma patients makes it more likely for them to wake up. It's not my field, but it's worth a shot."

Carlos glanced up at the clock. He was really hungry, and he'd agreed to met Rochelle in the hospital cafeteria in a few minutes to discuss him taking some time off. Cecil would be okay for the next few minutes. 

So he stood up, still holding his boyfriend's hand and looked down at him. It was hard to imagine Cecil as just being asleep, what with all the tubes running around him, so Carlos closed his eyes and imagined.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty." Carlos whispered as he leaned in to kiss Cecil gently on the lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I was listening to the song "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" by Death Cab For Cutie, and I felt like I should write some Cecilos angst. So I did, and here it is. Hope you like it.
> 
> If you see any glaring grammar mistakes, or plot mistakes, or have any comments or critisicm, feel free to share in the comments. I'd love to hear them.


End file.
